


Tell Me You Love Me

by DumbWoojae



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Did I already mention fluff, Fluff, JohnIl roommates, M/M, Taeten as a side pairing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 08:27:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11847771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DumbWoojae/pseuds/DumbWoojae
Summary: Johnny feels lonely so he posts an ad to get a roommate, chooses the first one who calls and hopes for the best





	Tell Me You Love Me

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [NCTprompts_II](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/NCTprompts_II) collection. 



> This is a bit rushed ??? but I tried my best ??? I liked this prompt so much and JohnIl are my dads so I had to write this, I hope you're not too disappointed.
> 
> Also english is not me first language fellas, tell me if you see some super awful mistakes so I can correct them, title from Bolbbalgan4's song because we all know I suck at titles 
> 
>    
>  **Prompt:**
> 
>    
> Johnny feels lonely so he posts an ad to get a roommate, chooses the first one who calls and hopes for the best.

It had been a terrible day, Johnny was sick of it, not even the weather seemed to be on his side as it started raining heavily when he was only a block away from his apartment, soaking even his socks. Once inside his home, he shrugged off his backpack and hoodie, leaving them in the doorway along with his shoes, the place was extremely quiet and cold, only the echo of rain there to keep him company.

 

Johnny was really sick of it.

 

He knew even before getting the scholarship he so much wanted that moving to not just a different country but to a different continent all alone would be hard, his parent might be Korean but he never learned the language nor he ever set a foot on that place before. Still, he didn’t give up, he worked hard to learn the language, the culture, and he worked even harder to get good grades and being able to stay.

 

He has his own apartment because it was a property his father had inherited from someone Johnny never knew before, and even though at the start he was happy that he could live alone and not in the (probably) uncomfortable college dorms, he was now regretful. It was lonely, way lonelier that he’d have expected.

 

Needless to say, he thought about everything so much his head almost explodes. He thought about how hard it could be to get a job, to learn the language, to fit in, to keep his grades up. But he never thought of how lonely he’d feel in a foreign country without his parents or anyone to keep him company, sure he has friends –although not many–, but in the end they’d all return to different places and Youngho was a bit depressed that when he opened the door, the only things there to welcome him were darkness and utter silence.

 

He even tried to get a plant as a desperate attempt to keep loneliness away, but it died a week later.

 

He flops face down into the couch once he has stripped to only his briefs, not minding a bit the wet spot the small clothing will leave on it and sighs tiredly, reaching for his phone in the small table in front of him and thanking everything that’s good because they wouldn’t allow cellphones at his job, or else he wouldn’t have a cellphone at all now.

 

“What do you want?” Taeyong whines, picking up at the third ring when Johnny calls him.

 

“I’m lonely” he says, sighing tiredly again, “Talk to me.”

 

“I’ve got better things to do than talking to you” Taeyong whines again, “I’m with Ten.”

 

“Are you telling me your boyfriend is more important than your best friend?” He says, absolutely not offended yet pretending to be.

 

“Yes, I’m glad you understand man” Now is Johnny’s turn to whine.

 

“Taeyong I’m serious” he whines again like the big baby he is, “why are you like this?”

 

“Listen if you’re so lonely why don’t you get a roommate so maybe you’d stop being annoying when I want to spend time with the person I love.”

 

Johnny is about to say something, but Taeyong hangs up.

 

“That little bitch.”

 

 

 

 

Perhaps, it’s not a bad idea, getting a roommate would probably be a solution but there’s a problem: everybody Johnny knows has a roommate already. Which sucked, because the last thing he wants is living with someone he doesn’t know.

 

Still, loneliness is heavy, so he weighs over it for a week before deciding that fuck it, he won’t be a coward, he’s a grown man, he can fucking do this.

 

He posts an ad on his college’s website with his phone number and the description of his apartment, and guesses that just picking the first person that calls and hoping they’re not a complete psycho will be fine. It’s not like he’s scared of being cut in pieces while asleep, not at all.

 

Unsurprisingly, no one calls the first day, nor the first part of the second, it is not until late night on day 2 that Johnny receives a call from an unknown number.

 

“Uh, hello?” Awkwardness strains through his voice as soon as he picks up the call, quite suspecting the reason of it and maybe quite begging for it to not happen.

 

“Hello? You’re Johnny, right?” it was a guy calling, his voice was nice and gentle, and he didn’t say a word again until Johnny hummed in affirmative, “I’m calling because I saw the ad you posted on the college’s website, I’d like to give your apartment a look if you don’t mind.”

 

First of all, why isn’t this person even a bit uncomfortable about this all? if he is, he surely doesn’t sound like it at all, it makes Johnny nervous the level of confidence this guy has that his voice doesn’t tremble even once while they are deciding on the day and the time, he is totally, absolutely chill about living with a complete stranger, even if Johnny could be a serial killer for what he knows.

 

He stays ill-at-ease because of the whole situation, even Taeyong tells him to chill out, but he couldn’t calm his nerves on the upcoming situation, what if this person was really crazy? What if he really tried to murder Johnny?

 

“Can you stop being a crybaby?” Taeyong rolls his eyes at him from across the table, only a few hours before Johnny’s meeting with his soon-to-be roommate. Ten hits his boyfriend’s arm and moves so he’ll be sitting beside Johnny instead.

 

“I know it’s intimidating but you’ll be fine” Ten says, while rubbing his back, “I don’t really think this person wants to murder you.”

 

“Don’t you wanna be my boyfriend instead of Taeyong’s?” Johnny asks as a reply, earning a chuckle form Ten and all of Taeyong’s fries over his head.

 

 

 

 

 

Ten was right, obviously, this person does not want to murder Johnny. And even if he did, Johnny doubts he’d be able to.

 

The size difference is the first thing Johnny notices about the stranger, he has to look down to talk to him, and when they share a handshake Johnny notices the stranger’s hand is way smaller and softer than his own. It almost made him uneasy that maybe, intimidated by his size and the earrings and all, the stranger would think Johnny was the murderer instead –it made a lot more of sense that the person posting the ad was the murderer instead of the one calling, anyway–, but if he was really scared of him, the smaller man gave no signs of it at all.

 

“My name is Taeil, is nice to put a face to the name” He says in the middle of their handshake, right after Johnny introduced himself.

 

Johnny is awkward, formal and clumsy while showing Taeil the department, mumbling explanations on where is what and about the place in general.

 

“This is pretty big and comfortable, the rent must be pretty high right?” Taeil says, concern alive in his voice.

 

“Ah, no” Johnny hurries to reassure him, “this place is my dad’s, I just pay a small amount of money once a month, they use that to keep the whole building looking nice or whatever, you can pay half of that I guess.”

 

Taeil looks at him like he just said the craziest thing in the world, his head slightly tilted aside and eyebrows barely furrowed, Johnny bites his tongue so he won’t tell him how cute he looks.

 

“But if you don’t need help with rent, then why do you want a roommate?” he says, same expression still on his face.

 

Johnny feels his cheeks go red and he starts mumbling random stuff, he’s not able to comprehend what he’s saying and Taeil, obviously, looks at him completely lost.

 

“I guess, uh” He clears his throat and runs a hand through his newly cut hair, “I was, I am, eh, a bit… lonely.”

 

Taeil smiles at him, and it’s not until then that Johnny notices he hadn’t smiled at all until that very moment, it is warm and beautiful and Johnny’s cheeks heat up even more, he’s embarrassed that he confessed such a thing, saying “ _I’m lonely so I want to get a roommate_ ” must have been the equal for “ _I’m the most pathetic human on earth.”_

“I think that’s cute” Taeil says, nodding, “When can I move in?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having Taeil around is… strange. New. And welcomed.

 

Johnny likes it.

 

He doesn’t particularly have a hard time admitting it, after being alone for so long it was obvious he’d be happy with company. Besides, Taeil is particularly easy to be around, there isn’t really as much awkwardness as Johnny expects it to be, after talking for twenty minutes or so and helping Taeil ordering his things they already feel comfortable enough with each other that they can sit in the living room together and watch tv quietly.

 

It only goes smooth from that on, Johnny even worries a bit that he’s getting spoiled, too used to going back home to find Taeil, probably laying down on their carpet with paper sheets around him playing with his phone instead of studying, and finding out that he also made dinner, or maybe ordered food, or maybe was waiting for Johnny to get home so they could decide together, and then they’d watch tv together and talk quietly about nothing, it was all too nice, too homey.

 

He didn’t notice he started using us/our/we for everything either until Ten says so, it slips from his lips before he can stop it, but there’s a small smile on his face too.

 

“I’m glad he didn’t murder you” Ten says, small smile turning into an amused grin.

 

“Yeah, me too” is all Johnny can muster.

 

 

 

 

 

He doesn’t think things too deep, even with the sudden change of pronouns, even when they stay awake for full nights watching movies together, wrapped in a single blanket when they could use more, even when he notices Taeil’s texts make him smile before so much as reading the content, even when they start regularly cuddling round with no reason, not even when one night Taeil snuggles into his bed and they sleep together for the first, but definitely not the last, time.

 

“You have to tell him you love him, Johnny” Taeyong says one day, they’re talking lunch together but in all honesty Johnny is too busy texting Taeil to mind what Taeyong’s telling him.

 

“Love? Who?” He says, locking his phone and putting it back to his pocket so he can give Taeyong his full attention.

 

“You’re kidding, aren’t you?” Taeyong rolls his eyes, but when Johnny gives him a look of total lost, he gapes at the taller a little, “You aren’t kidding? You legit don’t know?”

 

“No, like, what the fuck are you talking about?” Johnny says, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

 

“Youngho…” Taeyong starts, and Johnny knows he’s about to say something pretty serious because he wouldn’t be using his Korean name otherwise, “you’ve been living with Taeil for how long? Like, six months right?” Taeyong answers, and Johnny nods, “And what do you exactly feel for him?”

 

“I love him” Johnny answers without a bit of hesitation, and then he adds, “He’s my friend, and my hyung, probably the closest person to me after you.”

 

“Yes” Taeyong says slowly, like talking to a child, “You love him.”

 

“I do” Johnny answers in the same tone, not understanding where this is all going, “so? I love you too”

 

“You idiot” Taeyong snaps, hitting Johnny all of a sudden with the menu, “but you don’t love me as you love Taeil, do you? How can someone be so stupid they don’t notice when they fall in love?”

 

Johnny freezes. In love. Was he really _in love?_

 

They did spend a lot of time together, and Johnny did enjoy being around Taeil a little too much, and he did in fact appreciate the elder’s beauty, how he was soft not only in personality but also in the outside and how nice it felt to have him wrapped between his arms and… _oh._

_“_ Oh” Johnny says, looking at the table with a frown.

 

“Yes, oh” Taeyong says, his voice sounds pitiful, “You’re so oblivious you really didn’t notice your own feelings?”

 

“I… I don’t- I don’t know” Johnny’s head feels light, the bad kind of light, the I’m-going-to-faint light, and he’s still looking blankly at the table. He grabs Taeyong’s hand to keep himself grounded and his friend doesn’t refuse him, holding his hand tight instead.

 

They stay quiet for a few moments, Johnny’s mind running too fast for him to register much of it, or anything at all.

 

“What do I do now Taeyong?” Johnny says, barely above a whisper and barely conscious of the words leaving his mouth, “Why did you have to tell me, I’m gonna fuck up.”

 

“I think you should tell him, maybe” Taeyong says, pulling at his hand so Johnny lifts his gaze from the table to meet his friend’s own, “if you remain oblivious or don’t say anything at all, it’s likely for you _and Taeil_ to get hurt” His voice is soft like his eyes and Johnny hates it, he wants his rude friend back, but he can’t bring himself to say anything and instead, he nods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What do you want to eat for dinner?” Taeil asks, sitting next to him on the couch.

 

They haven’t shared a word since Johnny arrived but they’re in a point on their friendship where they can not say anything and it’s not uncomfortable, and Johnny is thankful because he honestly feels like he can’t talk to Taeil right now. It’s been a week since he talked to Taeyong, and after what he said, no, after he opened Johnny’s eyes to the reality, his head has been swimming in thoughts, and he is now able to see what he couldn’t before.

 

Taeyong was right, Johnny is in love with Taeil.

 

“I don’t know” He answers absently after a minute of silence, “anything is fine.”

 

“Youngho…” again with Youngho, Jesus fucking Christ, “What is wrong?”

 

Johnny looks at Taeil, it’s not like he doesn’t know what’s wrong, but how could he explain it to his second best friend? (Taeyong was still first on his list no matter what) “ _what’s wrong is that I’m in love with you, but I didn’t know until last week and do you even like me back?”_

_“_ Nothing’s wrong, sorry, I’m just tired” He smiles tiredly at the older, eager to reassure him.

 

Taeil looks at him for a minute, and then takes Johnny’s arms and wraps them around his own self, making himself comfortable and almost sitting in Johnny’s lap, his head resting against the younger’s clavicle.

 

“You know if something’s wrong you can tell me, right?” he asks, and Johnny lets out a hum, not a yes but neither a no.

 

He knows he can count on Taeil for whatever problem he has, but he’s not very sure about this one, he fears to lose him, even more now that he has acknowledged his own feelings. He can’t help that childish part of him.

 

The older lifts his gaze and looks at him dead in the eyes, serious like he hasn’t been since the last time he had an important exam, there is a cute frown on his face that Johnny wants to ease away with his thumb, he looks absolutely adorable.

 

“Youngho” he says again, “I am your friend and I am here for you so if there’s something that’s bothering you, you should just say it bec-” He’s stopped midway thought the word by Johnny’s lips against his own.

 

Taeil’s lips are soft and comforting, it takes him a few seconds to understand what is happening but just when Johnny is about to pull apart, to say he’s sorry, Taeil grabs the back of his neck and pushes him even closer, kissing back eagerly. Johnny’s tongue finds its way to the inside of Taeil’s mouth, that is warm and sweet, and when Taeil lets out a sound Johnny’s whole world is shook out of its place, he kisses the older hard and close-mouthed once more before pulling away, breathing hardly.

 

At the start they don’t say anything, Johnny is a bit in panic that maybe Taeil doesn’t really like him that way, maybe he lost himself in the heat of the moment, and now he’ll lose his friend and roommate. All of his worries are put aside as Taeil starts leaving small kisses on his lips again, and again, and _again,_ until Johnny goes back to breathing with difficulty.

 

“I think I love you” He says finally, “Like, _really_ love you”

 

“I love you too” Taeil kisses him hard three times before adding, “You oblivious ass”

 

Johnny laughs, wrapping his arms tighter around Taeil’s body to keep him close as he laughs as well. Eventually, Taeil finds his way from being almost-sitting to being fully-sitting on Johnny’s lap, they cuddle close in comfortable silence until Taeil speaks again.

 

“So now what?” he says calmly and in a low voice as to not disturb their current comfiness.

 

“Do you want me to take you on a date?” Johnny says, kissing the top of Taeil’s head, “we can watch a movie, or I can take you out to a restaurant and buy you flowers.”

 

“Shut up” Taeil snorts, but Johnny’s too close to miss the pink tinting his cheeks, he looks so cute Johnny can’t help himself and he kissed him again, first his cheeks, then his lips.

 

Who would have said that Taeyong’s idea of finding a roommate would not only end with his loneliness, but would also get him a boyfriend? Johnny himself couldn’t believe it, but he was thankful because after all, Taeil loved him too, and that was all that mattered. 


End file.
